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Make your own Advent and Christmas decorations

Christmas decoration: Ideas for Christmas decoration for do-it-yourself. Make your own Christmas decoration. Joint handicraft activities are the ideal activity for dreary winter evenings – and a creative change for the whole family. The homemade Christmas decoration may not be perfect, but it is all the more charming. We give tips and instructions for a few Christmas craft ideas.

When the weather is grey and ugly, colourful window decorations provide a friendlier view. In winter, the snowman is a nice motif that still decorates your windows after Christmas. To make the window picture, you hardly need more than scissors, a glue stick and some coloured cardboard in white, red, blue, green and orange. You will also need a pencil to mark the shapes.

Make window decorations:

This is how the snowman is made
If you have enough artistic talent of your own, you can draw the components of the snowman freehand. All the others simply use a template from a craft shop or the Internet. You need three white circles of different sizes: two for the hull and one for the head. The eyes, the laughing mouth and the coat buttons are best drawn on the white cardboard with a black pencil.

Cut the carrot-shaped nose out of the orange clay box. Now only gloves and cap are missing. Use the blue or green cardboard. Now glue some snowmen together. Then you can connect the individual figures on your hands. This creates a long row. If you always place snowmen with blue and green caps alternately, your window picture looks even more alive and varied.

Stars for tree and window pane

Paper stars in the window are a popular decoration at Christmas time. In order to create beautiful and even paper stars for your window, you should first create stencils. Draw a star in the desired size on cardboard and cut out the shape. Then you can transfer the outlines with a pencil on the paper.

Skilfully combining shapes and colours
In order to make paper stars with that certain something, you should now cut out at least two copies of each size – one as the front, one as the back. Then cut a round or star-shaped hole in the middle. Before you glue the two stars together, insert coloured transparent paper between them. The result is a star with a colourful play of colours in the middle. If your children like it even more colourful, they will surely enjoy painting the stars.

Now you can stick the stars to the window with tape. To create a varied decoration, it is best to combine different star shapes and sizes. The stars are especially beautiful when you hang the cardboard celestial bodies from the ceiling or curtain rods of different lengths. However, you should use stronger paper for this.

Small works of art with scissors

It is not easy to cut out even stars. Especially with freehand drawing or cutting, the rays often vary in length. With a little trick everyone succeeds in creating a perfect star. But don’t cut out the shape of the star. Instead, fold a square sheet of paper once in the middle. Fold the resulting rectangle into a triangle. Now you can create very unusual paper stars by making cuts in different places. The best thing is to try out the different variations.

Making tea light holders: from paper or natural material

With transparent paper you can also easily make magically colorful tea light holders. Although tea lights are too dangerous for the children’s room, they are perfect as table decoration in the living or dining room. First look for a smaller jam or preserving jar: the tea light is placed in it. Cut a rectangle out of harder paper, big enough to wrap it cylindrically around the glass. Make holes in the rectangle in various Christmas shapes such as stars, star scales, Christmas trees, angels or bells. Deer, deer and moose are also in the Christmas trend at the moment.

Then stick coloured transparent paper or foil on the inside. You can simply stick a rectangle of the same size onto your piece of paper. It becomes more colourful if you use a different colour for each motif. Finally you glue the paper cylinder and place it around the glass with the tea light: The cut out forms are reproduced colorfully at the table.

If the weather plays along, you can take a walk and collect fir greenery and cones and branches, which are used in the homemade Advent wreath. Our illustrated instructions show you how to make your own Advent wreath.

Why Santa Claus puts presents in our boots today
Nicholas is one of the most revered saints. He is also very popular with children. They even clean their shoes the day before.

Boots full to the brim: That’s what children hope for when they climb out of their beds on the morning of St. Nicholas Day on 6 December and look outside the door. The boot gradually became part of the tradition. “Nikolaus customs developed in stages,” said theologian and customs expert Manfred Becker-Huberti.

It all began with the so-called “throwing customs”. Legend has it that the orphan boy Nicholas, before he became a bishop, saved three poor virgins from a life on the street by giving them presents that they could take as dowry. “People therefore did the same as young Nicholas and threw gifts at the children,” explained Becker-Huberti.

It quickly became clear that it was mostly the biggest children who caught the gifts. “So they looked for containers to give presents to everyone, even the smallest child. Since there were few cups and bowls in the Middle Ages and the few were needed in the household, the adults decided to use children’s shoes or socks as containers. “So the throw-in became the tradition that shoes, mostly wooden shoes, were put in front of the door and filled in the night before the 6th,” said the theologian.

Biggest challenge: giving meaningfully
The little children quickly understood that shoes that had been cleaned out were more likely to be filled than dirty ones. So if they were told to clean their shoes or boots before Santa Claus gave them a present, they would do so willingly, the customs expert explained.

With the Reformation, St. Nicholas worship had subsided. “The Protestants have arranged giving presents for Christmas,” said Becker-Huberti. In order to counter this trend, Catholics had let St. Nicholas appear again as a person who came personally to the houses to reward good children and punish evil children. “However, since these visits were often not taken seriously by the children, many stopped them,” explained Becker-Huberti. Therefore, gifts would be handed over again at night and secretly, without the appearance of a Santa Claus figure.

The biggest challenge was to give something special at all. “Nowadays, children don’t get gifts that they don’t already have,” the theologian criticized. It is important for children to give “symbolic gifts” in order to convey the meaning of a gift at an early age.

Numerous legends entwine around the saints
Nicholas is one of the most revered saints of Christianity. In the Catholic Church he is often called as an “emergency helper”, the Orthodox Christians call him a “miracle worker”. According to research, the figure of today’s Nicholas was probably composed of two historical persons: The actual bishop Nikolaus of Myra in Asia Minor in today’s Turkey, who probably lived in the 4th century and is said to have distributed his fortune to the poor, and the abbot of the same name of Sion, who was bishop of Pinora and also died in Asia Minor on 10 December 564. St Nicholas is still revered today, especially in the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches, as a benefactor.

The early veneration of St. Nicholas in Myra was already determined by the thought of his goodness. Numerous legends entwine around the saints, but their historical origins lie with other saints of the same name. According to a story, Nicholas brought three murdered pupils back to life. He is therefore also the patron saint of the pupils. According to another legend, he secretly gave three girls gold for the dowry to save them from temple prostitution.

In the Middle Ages, on the eve of the feast, monastic pupils chose a “children’s bishop”. Abbot or mayor symbolically gave the rule for one day into the hands of the children. The children’s bishop, dressed in a mitre and the robes of a bishop, “visited” the monastery school. He punished pupils or rewarded them with sweets.

Santa Claus has nothing to do with Santa Claus
In recent years, church organizations have launched initiatives to promote the memory of the saint and distinguish it from Santa Claus in advertising. They also sell chocolate Santa Clauses with a mitre and bishop’s staff as an alternative to Santa Clauses with caps and bags.

From church view the Santa Claus of the gift industry oriented at consumption has to do nothing with the bishop Nikolaus, who helped selfless humans in emergency. The “Santa Claus Free Zone” campaign of the Catholic Bonifatiuswerk is now supported by numerous celebrities such as Nina Ruge, Maite Kelly and Peter Hahne.

The legend of St. Nicholas became part of Coca-Cola
Santa Claus and Santa Claus appear every year in preparation for Christmas. Originally, St. Nicholas was the only person responsible for giving presents. Only after the Reformation, which almost completely turned away from the veneration of saints in the Catholic Church, did Santa Claus come into being. “Santa Claus is an attempt to turn Nicholas into a secular figure,” said the theologian and customs expert Manfred Becker-Huberti.

The Nikolaus legend came from Europe to the USA. There, in 1931, the man became part of an advertising campaign for the beverage brand Coca-Cola and was dressed in a red robe and a red and white pointed cap. Today, the figure of the fat-bellied, red and white Santa Claus with cap and reindeer team is so widespread that even the chocolate Santa Clauses hardly wear the bishop’s mitre of Saint Nicholas. “All Christian symbols were taken from Santa Claus,” explained Becker-Huberti.

One more sleep and it’s Christmas Eve. Reflective hours with family and friends, cookies, gifts, singing…
three lights in the robe of words

dance in the light
as befits you
the stars
how they sparkle
how they shine so brightly
see her beauty
they have lost their carity
they have lost their purity
they as they are golden
as they are perfect
look into their endless sea of lights
listen to their wise men
listen to her light
they can see this cosmic light
it always speaks to you
it guides your footsteps
in the middle of your heart

The lyrics here are from me. I like to write so much. But it can also be my own favourite lines. These are typed, centered with pleasure. The paper is cut to fit the glass, in the glasses it is leaned against the outside wall. Place the candles in the middle of the glasses.

Now the text can shine in the light, dance, gently in its light robe. Merry Christmas!

Just three more days, and then the Christmas bustle starts! Are you planning a feast on Christmas Eve or the following Christmas holidays and maybe even expecting guests? Then today we have the right ideas for a beautiful table decoration for you:

Christmas table decoration

For me, a festively set table is just as much a part of Christmas as delicious food! This year I’ve come up with a table decoration in white, copper and wood that’s not too overloaded to leave enough room for bowls (otherwise the head of the family starts to put away the decoration for dinner, which is not understood by the female part of the family). For the decoration I recommend white dishes, candlesticks and balls made of glass and natural materials. The table runner I have made from a piece of wallpaper in wood look, who has a wooden table, can leave it simply so.

Ingredients for the paper fir trees (for a tree):

– 8 sheets DIN A4 paper

– a piece of cardboard for the template

– a sewing machine

Here’s the deal:

Fold the leaves lengthwise in the middle. Draw on the cardboard a half fir tree without trunk, which later takes up quite a lot of space from the folded sides. Cut out the template and place the straight edge on the folded side of the leaves. Draw and cut out. Lay all sheets on top of each other and sew once in the middle with the sewing machine. Finally unfold the trees.

Get a Book for inspiration

With 50 decoration and craft ideas, this book on Advent and Christmas decoration inspires all Christmas fans to create a Christmassy atmosphere in their homes and gardens. Natural materials such as evergreen twigs, cones, berries, mosses or winter flowers as well as simple products such as candles and fairy lights are used to create uncomplicated but original and impressive decorations. Clearly sorted from the festive table decoration over floral arrangements up to opulent wreaths – also balcony, terrace or garden are made winterproof and shine in festive gloss. Clear step-by-step instructions and material lists make reworking child’s play, background information on the plants used guarantees particularly simple implementation and success. The stylish and opulent photos capture the pre-Christmas ambience and sweeten the wait for the big party.

Christmas delicacies can already be found in the supermarkets in September. A short time later, various Christmas decorations will follow. Gingerbread and other Christmas biscuits make it clear that it is slowly but surely time to think about Christmas again. Many people think about the right Christmas decoration. Most of them wish for a different decoration in almost every year, as always the classic and familiar. The trade makes sure that there are always new and unusual decorations, which make the hearts of the decoration friends beat faster. The wide range makes it relatively easy to decorate your own home. Many fairy lights, Christmas figures, balls, stars and garlands are offered in the trade, which bring directly a Christmas flair into the home. However, there are also many other possibilities for a beautiful and stylish decoration. Decorative fabrics with atmospheric Christmas motifs are particularly suitable here. Christmas season is decorating time Tips and trends

For a harmonious decoration

In order for the Christmas decoration not to become too restless and give a uniform picture, some things should be considered. It is a good idea to think about which colour should prevail in the Christmas decoration before buying. The quality plays an important role. It is better to pay a little more for a good and high quality so that the decoration is still a pleasure after a few years. Care should be taken when choosing the colours so that the decoration does not become kitschy. This can happen quickly, especially with Christmas decorations. It is important to ensure a harmonious combination of colours. It is good to combine expressive colours with neutral colours. Strong” colours such as pink or purple go well with beige or grey.

Indispensable: decorative fabrics with Christmas motifs

Decorative fabrics with Christmas motifs are particularly light and yet beautiful to decorate. They can be used beautifully draped on the table or as a base for other decorative items such as candlesticks, the Advent wreath or cookie plates. They can also be used for windows or doors. Stylishly placed, they give rooms a Christmassy flair without applying too much. When choosing the fabrics, the colours should be chosen to match the rest of the decoration, so that the harmony of the whole picture is not disturbed. Fabrics are also suitable in combination with chains of lights. They bring a great light and cosy ambience into the room. Luminous window decorations should not be missing during the Christmas season. For the window frame, the decorative fabric with the Christmas motifs is simply twisted together with the chain of lights and stylishly wrapped around the frame.

Always beautiful: homemade

Some people do handicrafts all year round, but Christmas is especially the time for handicrafts. There are many materials in nature that are ideal for Christmas decorations. An Advent wreath with fir cones is a good alternative to the classic wreath made purely of fir branches. Candles can be decorated with twigs and orange slices. A stick of cinnamon and a few cloves also go very well with this. This has the advantage that it also exudes an excellent aroma that smells of Christmas. Fir needles are well suited to be scattered on the table. If you don’t want to take the trouble to pluck the needles and then collect them again, you can of course also cut small twigs from the fir green and spread them out. There are hardly any limits to your own ideas. And with a little imagination you can create the most beautiful decorations, which are above all individual and entirely to your own taste.

Stars, shine and glitter

Stars belong to the Christmas season like gingerbread and the Christmas tree. The most important symbol at Christmas can be made wonderfully from paper. Paper stars are suitable for window decoration or for the Christmas tree. The crafting of them is great fun and leaves many creative ideas open. How about glowing paper stars that get their luminosity from tea lights or a chain of lights? The light shimmering through the paper creates a cosy atmosphere. In more and more households, on the other hand, glamour and glitter come into play at Christmas. Sequins, silver and gold have increasingly conquered Christmas decorations in recent years. They can be found on Christmas balls, candlesticks and other decorative items. Glitter makes for a somewhat restless image. In order to bring some peace back into the overall picture, natural tones should be combined. White and cream colour are well suited. Bright colours are not particularly suitable for glitter decoration.

As you go out your door, do you sigh with amazement or cringe in fear? Many people don’t think they have the work or time to take on a landscaping project. But just do it!

Try using native plants when landscaping. When you are landscaping your garden, make sure you use flowers and trees that do well in your area. Do not import plants from different countries.
When landscaping, make sure you know the differences between annuals and perennials, as well as what flowers, plant, or flowers work best in different areas. You need to be conscious of the seasons when planning your landscape layout. It is important to understand which plants do well during specific seasons to get good results from your landscaping experience. Test your soil before starting a landscaping project. This will enable you are able to have a beautiful garden.

It can be a challenge to landscape an entire yard at once. Dividing your overall project into phases will be easier on your budget. It will also be easier to implement any design while carrying out in the process of landscaping.

Quality Products for Landscaping

Choose the higher quality over price. In many stores, you will usually find reduced and low-quality products. A specialty store will have knowledgeable staff who can give you great advice. It’s worth it to pay more for quality products and advice that truly work.

When starting a substantial do-it-yourself landscape project, think about talking with a professional landscaper so that you can learn a little more about how to design and what materials to use.
Talk to a licensed landscaper before beginning any work to your own yard. While it won’t be necessary to have them perform all the work, you will find that the small amount you pay for a consultation is well spent as it will help you to avoid mistakes and get started on the right foot. This step is especially important if you are inexperienced in landscaping.
You may want to consult with a landscaper, and pay them for the service, but doing the work yourself will save you a lot of money.
The $75 but the return will spend on it can be worth every penny by helping you prevent costly mistakes.

Now that you have learned some things to do, start making changes today. When your landscaping makes you cheerful when you leave your home, it will give you a positive outlook for the day. It will be a joy to return to your house after work, and look at your brand new landscape. You will be glad you made an effort.

Very minor home improvements can dramatically increase your home’s value. In fact, some updates can increase your home’s value by several thousand dollars by investing only few hundred. Read on for helpful hints to get you pointed in the right direction.

Your kitchen is a great place to start improving your home. Thorough cleaning is the right way to start.
First of all, begin with the walls and remove any grease stains with grease cutter. Normally this will remove the stains and pieces of any excess paint. If this is not working for you, mix Trisodium phosphate and water half and half and scrub the walls, that will work also pretty good.

Use shades of tan to paint the room. Neutral, tan colors work well in all kinds of kitchens. Use aluminum foil to cover your wall outlets before painting. It’s easier to use aluminum foil, and it protects the outlets. Your cleanup will be simple!

Just remember to give the paint time to dry before you remove and recycle the foil. Once you’ve finished re-painting, you’ll be impressed with how dramatic the difference already is.

Another Step in order to fresh up your kitchen is to update your kitchen appliances. You can do this on a reasonable budget. Update your appliances with black, white or metal colored appliance paint. You don’t need to buy appliances, just paint them with some Appliance paint. You can find the paint in many colors and can give your appliances a whole new look. Your kitchen can have a whole new look with just a few hours of painting.

You can take a big bite out of the cost of a kitchen remodeling project by opting to give your existing cabinets a new finish, instead of buying all-new cabinetry. A fresh stain or coat of paint, combined with a new style of hardware, can change the overall look and feel of the entire kitchen. It is a more affordable way to improve the look of the kitchen.

You should not get rid of your old doors. Just take it off, sand it with this until its bare wood is visible. Then paint them with oil-based paint on a roller.

Turn off water if you are doing kitchen or bathroom home improvement projects. Whenever you will be working with pipes or the water supply, find the shutoff valve before you begin. Taking this step helps to prevent flooding.

A great tip for home improvement is to personalize any project you undertake. Your personal touch will greatly enhance the look of any home improvement project.

As you can see, tackling a home improvement project does not need necessarily need to be difficult. If you make a plan and take the proper time, you can create a smooth process. Try to use some of the tips and ideas that you learned here and then you can start making your home more valuable.

Organic gardening is also cheaper; you don’t have to spend as much money on tools and requires very little equipment. Here are some suggestions on helping you to become a organic gardener.

Plants need a good supply of C02 to grow well. Plants are more likely to thrive in environments where high levels of CO2. A mini greenhouse is the best way to create an environment rich in carbon dioxide.

Make a plan for your first hole. This helps you in recognizing your tiny plants when they begin to sprout.

Moisture on your plants is a sure way to attract parasites and illness. Fungi are a number of plants. It is possible to get rid of fungi after it appears with anti-fungal sprays, but the key is to treat your garden before any problems arise.

You should make sure to divide irises. You can increase your stock of irises by splitting clumps that are overgrown. The bulbs often divide in your hand with no intervention on your part, and when replanted, they will usually flower the following year. You can divide rhizomes by utilizing a blade. Cut new pieces from around the outside and discard the remaining center. Each new piece should have at least one strong offshoot. Replant your new rhizome pieces right away.

Fertilizing is an important step in preparing your garden is essential. Manure can help grow plants, but to eliminate risk of pathogens, in order to minimize pathogen risk.

Learn the best harvest time to pick different vegetables. Each veggie has its own prime time frames for harvesting. For example, zucchini and baby peas will taste a lot better if you pick them when they are young. Tomatoes, though, should be plucked from the vine the moment they appear ripe.

Chamomile tea applied to plants can be used as an effective fungicide for potted plants.

Coffee Grounds

While all kinds of gardening can help you feel more connected to the planet, organic gardening takes this to the next level.

When buying tomato seedlings, look at the roots as well as the green parts.The reason is because these particular starts will stay on the seedlings for weeks, crippling their growth until the starts are gone.

Native Plants

This will make organic gardening tip! Plan your landscaping with primarily native grasses, flowers, and grasses. If you opt for native plants that work well with your climate and soil, the need for having to purchase fertilizers and pesticides could be eliminated. Native plants will thrive with organically made compost.

Be specific about what you desire to grow in your organic garden. Different varieties of a particular flower or vegetable require different kinds of environments. For example, there are many kinds of roses and some will work in your garden, there are those that will thrive in your garden and those that will not.Make sure you find varieties that fit into your gardening situation.

There are many different plants that will grow in your organic garden. Mulch is the friend of plants that require acidic conditions. These kinds of plants need to be mulched with thick layer of pine needles around fall each year.

Organic horticulture is healthier. You won’t be exposing your plants – and yourself to toxins or chemicals. Use the tips you just read to help you start planting your organic garden. You should expect to see more wildlife inhabiting your garden as your garden works more with nature.

Home improvement isn’t hard; all you know the right things. Utilize the advice provided here when you try your next home improvement project.

A great tip for home improvement project to do is to take stock in what you would like to achieve. You can improve your home much more if it reflects who you are.

Lampshades with simple designs are dreary and boring. You can spice up your lamp shade with some acrylic paint and some stencils. This will add some style and personality to you rooms and take away the room without having to buy new lamp shades. Cool, isn’t it ?

If you want to start this with a new one, free up space on your nightstands and end tables by choosing a floor lamp as opposed to using a table lamp. Select a lamp that fit your decor.

It is possible to inexpensively clean up the appearance of warn kitchen appliances. Is the style of your otherwise amazing refrigerator annoying you like stainless steel is where it is at? Appliance paint can be purchased for very little money and can change the color of colors at any home supply store. This will instantly liven up the look of your kitchen within a day.

If you are employing a handyman to do some work, do not forget to write up a legal contract addressing your concerns and how he will help you to rectify them. This ensures you or add extra charges since everything is down in the end. If you fail to get a contract, you may be very surprised by your bill.

This article stated in the beginning that even though many people have an interest in home improvement, they give up once they find it too difficult. With the right information and attitude, home improvement does not have to be that hard. Use the tips you just read for guidance.

These tips will help you tackle your next job. This should help you to become successful with success in home improvement.

You can purchase hinges online or at different hardware stores. Just take the hinge apart the hinge and simply attach every side to the frame and door.

If you find a leak under a sink or in your tap, do not try to fix it yourself. Just place a container under the leak that will hold the water and get in touch with a professional plumber.

Use different items as a coffee table instead of traditional store bought tables. You may even add a small tablecloth and dainty tea cups to create a more country look.

You can drastically increase your home’s value by adding a bathroom. It is common for more than one person to need access to the bathroom simultaneously.

You ought to list what you need before heading out to a home improvement store.

Exhaust fans should be installed in every bathroom, the laundry room, and near cooking surfaces.This will keep you safe by reducing your risk of mold from your home that are associated with cooking.Not only does this lower the chances for mildew, it also doesn’t allow condensation to become trapped within walls and that keeps them from rotting.

Drain Cleaners

Be careful about the kinds of products you choose to help clean a nasty clog.Some cleaners are very harsh and dangerous. Don’t use drain cleaners that are crystallized because they will stick to the inside of the pipes and cause damage. Be sure to use drain cleaners that work well with the septic tank you have.

Brighten up your kitchen with new handles and knobs! Cabinet knobs quickly and they do wonders in sprucing up a fresh look.After you have removed the dated hardware, scrub the cabinets before installing the new knobs.All that’s left is to install the new hardware into place!

It should be clear by now that home improvement can be complex. If you are willing to put in the time and effort required, you can make your home a fabulous place to live. The tips that you read in the above article will help you compete these jobs successfully.